₦airaland Forum

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
PRESS RELEASE

*VP adds: the violence unfortunate, recalling Nigeria's role in pulling down apartheid

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, spoke to reporters in Kano, just now, answering questions on the xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa. Below are his verbatim comments:

"Let me say first that these recent attacks are condemnable. It is very sad and very unfortunate that the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians living in South Africa are once again being destroyed with such wantonness and with such carelessness and recklessness.

"It is unfortunate because Nigeria and Nigerians invested a great deal in the pulling down of apartheid. Besides, these acts of bigotry are entirely contrary to the very ideals that all the great South African leaders, including the present President fought for, and for which many gave their lives.

"Mr President has already spoken about this; and obviously we are very concerned and certainly intend to take this up with the authorities in South Africa in order to ensure that this sort of thing does not repeat itself. This is absolutely unacceptable and unconscionable."

Released by:

Laolu Akande,
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
3rd September, 2019

PRESS STATEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 3, 2019




• Call on Ruling African National Congress to Step In



The All Progressives Congress (APC) strongly condemns the recent South African xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals, particularly on Nigerians, their property and businesses.



As a party, we are deeply saddened by these unwarranted attacks. Nigeria deserves better from South Africa. It is too early for South Africans to forget their country’s history. Many of the key players in the struggle against apartheid are still alive and active in the country’s national affairs. We therefore cannot understand why there seems to be a conspiracy of silence on their part.



The barbaric attack on citizens of other countries points to a failure of leadership. South African leaders cannot exonerate themselves from this cowardly act. We call on the South African ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC) to urgently step in. This is completely at variance with what ANC stood for. The ANC government can no longer pretend about this obvious contradiction.



The violence being meted to Nigerians under ANC calls to question the very essence of the struggle against apartheid in which Nigeria was a frontline ally of South Africa. How can those who supported you and made huge sacrifices for your freedom become fair games to be murdered in cold blood?



Perhaps there is a disconnect between the younger and older generations of South Africa. The older generation cannot sit back while the uninformed youths and some South African public officials in their quest for inordinate populism destroy what we collectively achieved over several decades of sacrifice and brotherliness.



Today, our Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians. This is one of the first steps in this government's proactive response to this unfortunate incident. We assure Nigerians that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration would continue to take decisive measures. The safety of Nigerians - home and abroad - is non-negotiable to the APC administration.



SIGNED:

Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu

National Publicity Secretary

All Progressives Congress (APC)

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

President Muhammadu Buhari has noted with deep concern, reported attacks on Nigerian citizens and property in South Africa since August 29, 2019.
Consequently, the President has instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, to summon the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria and get a brief on the situation; express Nigeria’s displeasure over the treatment of her citizens; and assurance of the safety of their lives and property.
President Buhari has also despatched a Special Envoy to convey to President Cyril Ramaphosa his concerns and also interact with his South African counterpart on the situation.
The Special Envoy is expected to arrive in Pretoria latest Thursday, September 5, 2019.
 
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
September 3, 2019

The minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has promised that the federal government will push for accountability and compensation for Nigerians that suffered losses in South Africa.

He disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday during a press briefing with the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Bobby Moroe over the continued xenophobic attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa.

Onyeama added that while the Nigerian government believes that criminality knows no bound, it condemns the frequent attacks on Nigerians in diaspora, including South Africa, and will do everything to end this unwarranted attacks

On 20th of August 2019, Itunu Ajayi from Maryland USA revealed his standpoint on The Guardian about Vice President Osinbajo’s presumed silence on the incessant killings and security instability in many parts of the country. For someone who is a 2014 Kurt Schork Fellow in International Journalism (yes, I looked him up), it was an uninformed, depressing take packed with personal bias and judgements that didn’t do justice to credit a man whose foundational role is to deputise, support and advise the president. This factless blasphemy by Itunu disguised in the suit of an opinion by one who prides to be a journalist is a valid reason why people’s faith in journalism is fast drifting.

Itunu’s evocative postulations give the impression of a hyper-deliberate attempt at slandering Yemi Osinbajo and undermining his achievements and contributions as arguably the most active, seen, heard and devoted Vice President Nigeria has ever encountered.

Itunu attempts to play a centrist. But too often, we confuse centrism with fairness, objectivity or common-sense truth. But centrism is none of those, it is a point of view, and it can be wrong, just as conservatism or liberalism can be; so opinions must be based on accurate information, sound logic, and expressed respectfully.

He wants us to believe, without any certitude, that Osinbajo is not deeply concerned about the current state of the country because of his own misinterpretation of events. He consciously forgets to mention evert instance the Vice President has spoken out on issues of insecurity in the country, every time he has condemned wrongdoing by enemies of our state, every time he has paid a solidarity visit to victims and reminded them that government cares, and would not forget them - passing the message of relieve and hope to the victims. He consciously denies the truth to his readers when he pretends not to know that President Buhari has the ears of his number two man, and they, whether we know it or not, meet time without number to discuss issues of national interests.

In his essay, the writer consciously strips the Vice President off his constitutional capacity through deliberate ignorance of the roles and responsibilities that flow therefrom, but thereafter goes ahead to hold him liable for those functions that are not even his.

He then attempts to severe his office from the Buhari government, as if they are not one, and that the two elected leaders should act in discord. The story forces its readers to digest misconstrued analysis as facts and struggles to beg for empathy by connecting it to the general displeasure of nationwide killings. What makes it absurd and ridiculous is that he thinks and believes that the President and his Vice are not troubled about the insecurity or working towards seeing the end of the menace. Nothing could be more far from the truth. There is no political leader who prays for disability knowing it would injure his name, or who is in a place of power would do nothing to end such. And this in fact is the least expected.

Since he assumed office in 2015 as President Muhammadu Buhari’s deputy, VP Osinbajo has played an increasingly prominent role in Nigeria's government and his accomplishments are incomparable to any other Vice President as they surpass by far.

Not too long ago, former President Obasanjo had disclosed that his deputy, Atiku Abubakar, complained about taking on too many responsibilities as the nation's number 2 citizen in their days of power. That is in contrast with the reality today; Vice President Osinbajo not only chairs the National Economic Council which works with several parastatals to identify problems, recommend and execute solutions regarding economic development, poverty alleviation and foreign exchange policies, he also oversees the National Social Investment Office which facilitates empowerment schemes aimed at students, traders, farmers, enterprises and bottom of the pyramid population.

The Social Investment Office boasts of the largest social investment ever attempted in Africa. And it is succeeding. It feeds almost 10 million pupils in public schools; it has provided entrepreneurship and skill based jobs to 500,000 previously unemployed graduates; it is giving cash to Nigeria’s poorest families in the hinterland communities to improve their welfare and livelihood. But Itunu is in haste to lash out on the Vice President and his office that he forgets these, as well as the administration’s ongoing plans on establishing a sustainable herding system across the country through the National Livestock Transformation Plan - which Vice President Osinbajo oversees - that would put a sustainable end to clashes between herders and farmers and the consequent killings.

He also misses out on the fact that the Buhari - Osinbajo administration is re-engineering the country’s national security architecture to help combat attacks led by Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), farmer-herder clashes and other unfortunate bandits.

His failure to mention the times the Vice President has visited families of victims, visited areas of attack to assess the impact and report to his principal is evident of Itunu’s deliberate mischief and shortfall of honest intentions.

Recall that on 26th of June 2019, Osinbajo interacted with The Council on Foreign Relations in the USA and extensively talked about the current state of ISWAP, challenges rocking the administration and ongoing efforts to completely deal with the insecurity. He has also led the consultations and meetings - especially in the south west - seeking an end and solutions to the kidnappings and killings. He is largely responsible for the peace we see in the South South today; the absence of a hitherto raging militancy is courtesy his back and forth in the region in 2016 where he met and dialogued with the leaders there and constantly assuring Nigerians of the Federal Government’s commitment to continue to give priority attention to the operational requirements and welfare of the Nigerian Armed Forces. He seats as the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council which means he has a voice at the highest points whenever issues of security are brought up. Are these items of silence, or is Itunu just simply deaf?

It is without doubts that he has brought value and and function to his office, as manager of the economy and other assignments given to him. The Vice President’s pace of action has been commended by many Nigerians and international bodies prompting suggestions that he should continue playing the major roles in the government.

According to the writer, Professor Osinbajo’s call for alliances across faiths and ethnicities to wreck national threats hindering the country’s unity and coexistence is enough concrete reason to accuse him of lackadaisical attitude and noiselessness. I am left to wonder if a birthday ceremony is the best place to give a detailed proposition on how the government plans to successfully tackle security challenges. It is no coincidence that even before now, the Vice President has always addressed cooked narratives by opposition that the presidency is protecting killer herdsmen and Boko Haram members as a desperate ploy to promote ethnic and religious suspicion. Without doubt, Itunu’s phoney claims are inaccurate, abandon objectivity and suspend sense of fairness, declaring judgement in his own court of reasoning. This haste to demonize the Buhari administration is agenda-driven, not Information-driven.

Richard Ogundiya is a journalist and researcher based in Lagos.

In Response to the Guardian article published here: https://m.guardian.ng/opinion/yemi-osinbajo-this-silence-is-deafening/

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
PRESS RELEASE



*NECA praises VP’s disposition towards private sector

The Federal Government would continue to support the private sector as it plays an important role and contributes to the growth of the economy, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Thursday when he received a delegation from the Nigeria Employers' Consultative Association (NECA) led by its Director-General, Mr. Timothy Olawale, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

NECA is the umbrella organization of employers in the organised private sector of Nigeria to provide the forum for the Government to consult with private sector employers, especially on socio-economic and labour policy issues.

The Vice President explained the policy interactions between Government and the organized private sector, describing it as essential.

Prof. Osinbajo further said the Federal Government would keep exploring ways to improve the economy through its policies and reforms.

He said, “Our interaction is a very important one, because it is really part of our policy as a government to ensure private sector participation in the economy. We think that the private sector has a very important role. For us the private sector is essential to the growth of the economy so we must continue to encourage the private sector in every possible way.”

Prof. Osinbajo further assured that matters of concern that require government attention would be decisively tackled through the Ease of Doing Business initiatives to improve the business environment and ensure growth of local businesses.

“We want to continuously engage NECA and the private sector because it is central to what we are doing in respect to the economy,” the Vice President said.

Commending the Vice President for his leadership, Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), which is chaired by the VP, and the Ease of Doing Business reforms; the NECA DG remarked that the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo was an outcome of their sterling performance in the first term.

In his remarks, the NECA DG said the organization has actively supported and championed government’s efforts at job creation, while he commended “the giant strides made by the Buhari administration in fostering an environment that is hospitable for businesses to thrive through the Ease of Doing Business initiatives.”

He said, “We specifically recognize the passion with which you (VP) have driven the relationship between government and organized businesses in the past four years through your interventions and leadership that you have provided, which have translated into the activities of PEBEC, the ERGP and the Presidential Quarterly Business Forum, which you preside over.

“We have no doubt that the solid foundation that has been laid in the first four years would be built upon and Nigeria would be better for it.”

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
29th August, 2019

Ministers in Nigeria are tasked with the responsibilities of running affairs of respective ministries to which they are appointed. Although they are confirmed by the Senate, they are primarily appointed by the President. They are lieutenants of the President with a mandate to execute his policies in their selected Ministries.

Prior to now, one of the largely held perceptions of Nigerians has been that ministerial appointees are people who have played their political cards and more often than not, do not possess the know-how, understanding, skills or expertise to function in the office to which they have been appointed. While the former is mostly true beyond perceptions, the latter is rarely the case.

One may be too quick to point out the partisanship, and the evident politicians on the list, some would call them in fact recycled. But the reality remains that the President ran and was elected on the platform of a political party - the APC. He has worked with the party in two electoral seasons and earned the victory through the same platform. He has equally worked with these men and women throughout these periods. It only accords with common sense that his ministerial list would reflect individuals he has worked with over these years; people he believes to have an idea of his agenda and can take the manifesto from document to reality. The ministerial list reflects people who the President believes can deliver his mandate and that of his party for the next four years.

A quick look at the who's who that made the 2019 ministerial list: Of course as constitutionally expected they are drawn from all thirty six states, fortunately some states like Lagos, Kano, Abia, Kaduna have more than one Minister. Of the forty three names on the ministerial list, fourteen are returning ministers; people who had a chance at service and have shown us a glimpse of their potential during the first term run. The likes of Babatunde Fashola, is kept for another four year term. He, like his colleague Rotimi Amaechi, have served as two term Governors and would now be serving as two term Ministers. They have shown to be worthy technocrats as they are politicians. Though Mr Fashola is stripped off the Ministry of Power, he is left with a critical Ministry that revolves around a key developmental agenda of the President Buhari administration: the Ministry of Works and Housing.

New Ministries sprung up or now stood alone, like the Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development - that looks likely to swallow a lot of agencies tasked with humanitarian efforts, and other social assignments; Police Affairs, Special Duties and International Affairs; Aviation; and Power.


While most Ministers who were kept retained their Ministries much is expected from the first time appointees. The effervescent Festus Keyamo from Delta State who served as Director of Strategic Communications of Buhari’s re-election bid has a lot of capacity-proving to do. He has been a revolutionist and activist, a change agent, all but a government appointee. Today he is, and that means he must prove that beyond talk, he can work. As he mans the Minister of State for the Niger-Delta he is tasked with the assignment of seeing development and growth for the region that birthed him. And an emissary of the government to the region too. Maj. Gen. (RTD) Bashir Salihi Magashi from Kano, a former Governor of Sokoto State in Nigeria from August 1990 to January 1992; Clement Agba (Edo), former Edo State Commissioner for Environment and Public Utility and the several other new appointees have to prove that they can take Nigeria to the next level.



With a rich pool of potentially outstanding appointees, most of which can boast of fine credentials and experience, the entire ministerial list comprises of about six lawyers, four doctors, diplomats, economists, human rights activists, seven former governors, seven former senators, a collection of party leaders in some states and a couple of fresh nominees as well as other skilled professionals.



One can commend the President for doing a fairly handsome job of marrying politicians and technocrats in producing this cabinet.



Nigerians watch however, hoping to see a balance of the pomp and pageantry of politics with the demands for results that come with technocracy. The campaign trails are ended. The work table is set for the Next Level to be delivered. What should be expected in the next months, and years, should not be magic wands that turn political rhetoric to reality. Nigerians too must exercise patience. Like Mario Cuomo, former Governor of New York once said: You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose.





James Akinloye is the President of the Initiative to Save Democracy.

Ministers in Nigeria are tasked with the responsibilities of running affairs of respective ministries to which they are appointed. Although they are confirmed by the Senate, they are primarily appointed by the President. They are lieutenants of the President with a mandate to execute his policies in their selected Ministries.

Prior to now, one of the largely held perceptions of Nigerians has been that ministerial appointees are people who have played their political cards and more often than not, do not possess the know-how, understanding, skills or expertise to function in the office to which they have been appointed. While the former is mostly true beyond perceptions, the latter is rarely the case.

One may be too quick to point out the partisanship, and the evident politicians on the list, some would call them in fact recycled. But the reality remains that the President ran and was elected on the platform of a political party - the APC. He has worked with the party in two electoral seasons and earned the victory through the same platform. He has equally worked with these men and women throughout these periods. It only accords with common sense that his ministerial list would reflect individuals he has worked with over these years; people he believes to have an idea of his agenda and can take the manifesto from document to reality. The ministerial list reflects people who the President believes can deliver his mandate and that of his party for the next four years.



A quick look at the who's who that made the 2019 ministerial list: Of course as constitutionally expected they are drawn from all thirty six states, fortunately some states like Lagos, Kano, Abia, Kaduna have more than one Minister. Of the forty three names on the ministerial list, fourteen are returning ministers; people who had a chance at service and have shown us a glimpse of their potential during the first term run. The likes of Babatunde Fashola, is kept for another four year term. He, like his colleague Rotimi Amaechi, have served as two term Governors and would now be serving as two term Ministers. They have shown to be worthy technocrats as they are politicians. Though Mr Fashola is stripped off the Ministry of Power, he is left with a critical Ministry that revolves around a key developmental agenda of the President Buhari administration: the Ministry of Works and Housing.



New Ministries sprung up or now stood alone, like the Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development - that looks likely to swallow a lot of agencies tasked with humanitarian efforts, and other social assignments; Police Affairs, Special Duties and International Affairs; Aviation; and Power.



While most Ministers who were kept retained their Ministries much is expected from the first time appointees. The effervescent Festus Keyamo from Delta State who served as Director of Strategic Communications of Buhari’s re-election bid has a lot of capacity-proving to do. He has been a revolutionist and activist, a change agent, all but a government appointee. Today he is, and that means he must prove that beyond talk, he can work. As he mans the Minister of State for the Niger-Delta he is tasked with the assignment of seeing development and growth for the region that birthed him. And an emissary of the government to the region too. Maj. Gen. (RTD) Bashir Salihi Magashi from Kano, a former Governor of Sokoto State in Nigeria from August 1990 to January 1992; Clement Agba (Edo), former Edo State Commissioner for Environment and Public Utility and the several other new appointees have to prove that they can take Nigeria to the next level.



With a rich pool of potentially outstanding appointees, most of which can boast of fine credentials and experience, the entire ministerial list comprises of about six lawyers, four doctors, diplomats, economists, human rights activists, seven former governors, seven former senators, a collection of party leaders in some states and a couple of fresh nominees as well as other skilled professionals.



One can commend the President for doing a fairly handsome job of marrying politicians and technocrats in producing this cabinet.



Nigerians watch however, hoping to see a balance of the pomp and pageantry of politics with the demands for results that come with technocracy. The campaign trails are ended. The work table is set for the Next Level to be delivered. What should be expected in the next months, and years, should not be magic wands that turn political rhetoric to reality. Nigerians too must exercise patience. Like Mario Cuomo, former Governor of New York once said: You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose.





James Akinloye is the President of the Initiative to Save Democracy.

*VP assesses ongoing disbursements at Keffi, Masaka markets, interacts with traders in Nasarawa



Feedback from the field and testimonies from stakeholders including beneficiaries indicate that the TraderMoni and MarketMoni loan schemes are doing very well, and beneficiaries are indeed paying back their loans, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.



Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Tuesday during an interaction with journalists after his assessment visit to markets in Keffi and Masaka towns of Nasarawa State, where loans under the TraderMoni and MarketMoni schemes are being disbursed to traders.



According to the Vice President “It is going very well, and I am excited to hear the testimonies of the traders who have done so well after getting their first loan. It is also exciting to see that they have repaid their loans very quickly, because as you pay back, you are able to get more; when you get N10, 000, and you pay back, you get N15, 000 and it gets to N20, 000, when you repay, all the way to N100, 000, and it is so exciting to see that these traders are doing so well.



“Everybody is keying in already, what we want to do is to expand it so that more traders can get this facility, so we need to do more because at the moment, we have done close to 2 million but we need to increase the number”.





The Vice President urged beneficiaries of the loan schemes to continue to pay back their loans so they can get more money and become very successful in business.



Prof. Osinbajo said the target of the Federal Government in the Next Level is to expand the scheme to cover more traders and also increase the amount received to enable beneficiaries expand their businesses.



According to him, “we want to expand the TraderMoni and MarketMoni to include more people in every state, so we have only just started. More of the traders who are here will get the TraderMoni and the MarketMoni.



“So long as you continue to pay back you will continue to get more money. We want to make sure that every petty trader in the market have enough so that they themselves can even employ more people and pay their children’s school fees and also build their own houses. As I told you, we are going to expand the scheme so that more people can benefit.”



Earlier at the palace of the Emir of Keffi, Alhaji Shehu Chindo Yamusa, Prof. Osinbajo said his visit to the State was to assess the disbursement of the TraderMoni and MarketMoni loans to traders in markets across the States.



He said “TraderMoni is the President’s own way of empowering women and men who are traders. For many of them, their inventories are very small, it could be people hawking groundnuts, selling bread and other basic things. Most of them don’t have enough capital to improve their businesses. So, what we do is to empower them through the Bank of Industry.



“So, we want to ensure that people who are trading have an opportunity and that opportunity is provided when we are able to give them capital as part of this TraderMoni scheme. So, that is why we are here.”



On the Emir’s appeal about improving educational standards, the Vice President said President Buhari is determined to improve both access and quality of education to all Nigerians regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds.



According to him, “One of the other things that I think you might be happy to hear is the President’s determination to this question of education. On June 20th this year, while speaking to Governors when he inaugurated the National Economic Council, he made the point that the Federal Government will enforce, along with the State governments, the law on free and compulsory education of the first 9 years of the child’s school life.



“It is a very important thing because we all know that education the key to the economic success, the key to self-realization and the key that enables any person live a dignified life. So, we are extremely concerned on how to improve education; Technical education in particular, I think that it is very important.



“As a matter of fact, under our N-Power scheme we already have a number of technical education schemes going on. We have what we call N-Build which is technical education for persons involved in the building industry (tillers, brick layers etc). We also have training for extension workers, persons who will provide extension service. There is the one for persons involved in technical training like carpenter, electricians and many others.”



He added that the Federal Government in collaboration with State governments are committed to “doing more in terms of technical education and also in supporting the states for education especially making primary education and first three years of secondary education free and compulsory as well as the education of young women”.



In his remarks, the Emir of Keffi, Alhaji Shehu Chindo Yamusa who commended the Vice President for his show of concern and interest in the welfare of the people of Nasarawa State and Keffi in particular, appealed to the Federal Government to review the nation’s education curriculum to integrate vocational and technical education to address youth unemployment.t

*VP assesses ongoing disbursements at Keffi, Masaka markets, interacts with traders in Nasarawa.

Feedback from the field and testimonies from stakeholders including beneficiaries indicate that the TraderMoni and MarketMoni loan schemes are doing very well, and beneficiaries are indeed paying back their loans, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.


Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Tuesday during an interaction with journalists after his assessment visit to markets in Keffi and Masaka towns of Nasarawa State, where loans under the TraderMoni and MarketMoni schemes are being disbursed to traders.



According to the Vice President “It is going very well, and I am excited to hear the testimonies of the traders who have done so well after getting their first loan. It is also exciting to see that they have repaid their loans very quickly, because as you pay back, you are able to get more; when you get N10, 000, and you pay back, you get N15, 000 and it gets to N20, 000, when you repay, all the way to N100, 000, and it is so exciting to see that these traders are doing so well.



“Everybody is keying in already, what we want to do is to expand it so that more traders can get this facility, so we need to do more because at the moment, we have done close to 2 million but we need to increase the number”.





The Vice President urged beneficiaries of the loan schemes to continue to pay back their loans so they can get more money and become very successful in business.



Prof. Osinbajo said the target of the Federal Government in the Next Level is to expand the scheme to cover more traders and also increase the amount received to enable beneficiaries expand their businesses.



According to him, “we want to expand the TraderMoni and MarketMoni to include more people in every state, so we have only just started. More of the traders who are here will get the TraderMoni and the MarketMoni.



“So long as you continue to pay back you will continue to get more money. We want to make sure that every petty trader in the market have enough so that they themselves can even employ more people and pay their children’s school fees and also build their own houses. As I told you, we are going to expand the scheme so that more people can benefit.”



Earlier at the palace of the Emir of Keffi, Alhaji Shehu Chindo Yamusa, Prof. Osinbajo said his visit to the State was to assess the disbursement of the TraderMoni and MarketMoni loans to traders in markets across the States.



He said “TraderMoni is the President’s own way of empowering women and men who are traders. For many of them, their inventories are very small, it could be people hawking groundnuts, selling bread and other basic things. Most of them don’t have enough capital to improve their businesses. So, what we do is to empower them through the Bank of Industry.



“So, we want to ensure that people who are trading have an opportunity and that opportunity is provided when we are able to give them capital as part of this TraderMoni scheme. So, that is why we are here.”



On the Emir’s appeal about improving educational standards, the Vice President said President Buhari is determined to improve both access and quality of education to all Nigerians regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds.



According to him, “One of the other things that I think you might be happy to hear is the President’s determination to this question of education. On June 20th this year, while speaking to Governors when he inaugurated the National Economic Council, he made the point that the Federal Government will enforce, along with the State governments, the law on free and compulsory education of the first 9 years of the child’s school life.



“It is a very important thing because we all know that education the key to the economic success, the key to self-realization and the key that enables any person live a dignified life. So, we are extremely concerned on how to improve education; Technical education in particular, I think that it is very important.



“As a matter of fact, under our N-Power scheme we already have a number of technical education schemes going on. We have what we call N-Build which is technical education for persons involved in the building industry (tillers, brick layers etc). We also have training for extension workers, persons who will provide extension service. There is the one for persons involved in technical training like carpenter, electricians and many others.”



He added that the Federal Government in collaboration with State governments are committed to “doing more in terms of technical education and also in supporting the states for education especially making primary education and first three years of secondary education free and compulsory as well as the education of young women”.



In his remarks, the Emir of Keffi, Alhaji Shehu Chindo Yamusa who commended the Vice President for his show of concern and interest in the welfare of the people of Nasarawa State and Keffi in particular, appealed to the Federal Government to review the nation’s education curriculum to integrate vocational and technical education to address youth unemployment.

Reno Omokri is the modern day illusionist for very obvious reasons. He is one person who never pays attention to details and hardly understands the organogram of the Presidency despite having worked there before as the New Media aide to former President, Goodluck Jonathan.

It’s increasingly clear why he was sacked and replaced by Obi Asika, he pays no attention to details and he’s apparently driven by emotions but more importantly by fraud and lies. In his article titled, “Osinbajo should appreciate me – Reno Omokri” he showed how uneducated he is especially with the workings of the Social Investment Programmes including TraderMoni which Omokri has been having sleepless nights over. First, it’s important for Nigerians to note how TraderMoni works.

The Nigerian Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) is one of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) under the Office of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

This means that TraderMoni is not a personal programme of the Vice President but of the Federal Government in the Buhari administration. The visits by Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to markets are on-site assessments of the programme and an opportunity for the Vice President to directly feel the pulse of the beneficiaries and understand the problems they could be facing.

The programme is managed and executed by the Bank of Industry and the VP never shares N10,000 as Omokri has often claimed. The disbursement is electronic, so is the registration process, so it’s safe to say everything is online. In the first phase, two million petty traders across Nigerian markets benefited from the scheme.

Understanding the economics of TraderMoni has been a problem for Omokri, not that he has shown finesse on any subject matter before TraderMoni. If you skim the social media channel of Omokri, you’ll admit that he has little or no grasp of most issues. It’s difficult to tell maybe he is ignorant or illiterate because he often carries himself like someone who understands what he is talking about.

Away from TraderMoni, Omokri tried to clear his name of the fraud he is perpetuating in the name of Leah Sharibu. It has been well documented that Omokri sold books and shirts in the name of Sharibu, a Dapchi schoolgirl captured by Boko Haram.

Whipping up religious sentiments as he always does, Omokri apparently conned people across the world, including the new UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to buy his Leah Sharibu narrative. When queried to give details of the earnings, Omokri contradicted himself.

In a tweet, he claimed the proceeds from the book and shirt spent no more than five minutes in his account before he transferred it to the parents of Miss Sharibu but shortly after he was asked to show a screenshot of the transfer, he claimed that the monies were paid directly to the account of Sharibu’s father, Nathan.

But this is one of the many fraud perpetuated by Omokri. He once wrote an article in the name of Wendell Simlin – his nephew – to smear the then Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Sanusi Lamido. He tried to blackmail him by accusing him of being the financier of terrorist group, Boko Haram.

He did this to rubbish a noble person who had raised very profound questions about the disappearance of $20 billion from the government coffers. Omokri saw this as an assault on the corruption-ridden government that he was a beneficiary.

Omokri always claims that he is bestseller but in the real sense, he is not. He uses this ploy to target people who are unsuspecting. He grand stands and paints himself in a light that never exists. Take for example the giveaways he does on Twitter.

Omokri claims to put smile on the face of the masses but that’s completely untrue, it’s another scam. He only gives one or two people N10,000 or N20,000, how exactly does that translate into the masses? In all, only six persons have benefitted from Reno’s equivalent of TraderMoni, how does that compare to the millions that benefitted from the FG scheme?

On Twitter, loads of people do giveaways and do not demand retweets in return but not Reno Omokri. He predominantly lives for the attention. He demands that people retweet him to benefit but despite all the retweets only six persons have benefited.

While real people do philanthropy without publicizing it, Omokri lives for the cameras, he even does videos demanding that his followers watch till the end.

Another scam by Omokri is that he is a pastor, something that has become cliché among scammers. No one has seen Omokri preach before despite claiming he owns a church and that is a rarity, given that, he will die for the lights, camera and action.

Any follower that quizzes him about the theology school he attended or who his spiritual father is on Twitter will be blocked. Omokri is the ultimate tyrant, you can’t question his judgment or submission on any matter, even worse, you must not have a superior argument to Omokri, if you do, he will block you but this is the same guy who insults people for fun.

Talking about insults, Omokri cannot debate me, talk less, the aides of VP Osinbajo, it will be a walk in the park, particularly for me, given the lacuna in our intellectual level.

But more importantly, Nigerians must know that there are loads of end-time pastors and must be weary of anyone whose words profess God but his actions are anti-God. He takes delight in using religion to rattle his followers and incite them to violence.

Seun Bisuga is a journalist and public analyst

In a short piece published by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s media aide, known for being a critic of President Buhari, Doyin Okupe lashed out on Nigerians who criticized President Buhari’s instruction to his Ministers to go through his Chief of Staff as the conduit of communication and scheduling meetings, stating that this is the right and proper way to do things.

He also takes a swipe on the Jonathan government, saying that he witnessed the shameful abuse of this administrative procedure by some persons who bypassed the Chief of Staff and went directly to the President.

Below is his write up:


MINISTERS REPORTING TO ABBA KYARI

by Doyin Okupe

I have read several comments on the above subject matter. I am amazed at the level of passion this pronouncement has generated.

The internet is a great thing. But while it brings news from every and all quarters, it also exposes ignorance from all nooks and crannies of the society.

The capacity to issue statements and posts on the internet in copious volumes help create the impression that those who write or criticise on the internet also have understanding. Yet, to be literate is not the same as being knowledgeable.

Ministers are constitutional aides of Mr President in their respective ministries. Whereas the Chief of staff is a trusted personal aide of the President and the supreme head of the administration in the Presidency.

His responsibilities include hour by hour and day to day administration of the villa and every detail of the programmes of the President. This sacred job is done exclusively by the COS or any one designated to do it on his behalf.

The office of the President is the highest office in the country and it must have strict even though elastic schedules to accommodate emergencies.

It will easily be understood that for the integrity of the schedules of Mr President, which may include diplomatic, foreign missions, organisations, institutions, bilateral talks,visitations by other heads of states, conferences and other special events, very important domestic affairs, it therefore becomes imperative that only the office of the chief of staff is designated to handle all presidential appointments to avoid confusion and shoddiness at the highest office in the land.

Any minister who is desirous of seeing the President must of necessity pass through the only official channel which supretends over schedules and appointments of Mr President.

A minister who does not know the scheduled programmes of the President for the day cannot just impose his presence on the office of the president to disrupt the plans and protocols for the day or unnecessarily divert the attention of Mr President and cause him to delay other previously planned schedules with similarly important dignitaries.

Personally I have witnessed this shameful embarrassments in the past just because we failed to go by laid down procedures. This is often too common with us politicians who considers the President as a colleague or personal friend or associate of long standing, with whom there should not be any bureaucratic barriers even in spite of his new exalted office as the head of state.

However, for the Presidency to run efficiently with a dignified administrative regime, a stratified arrangement of protocol need to be put in place and applied to those who need to see the president officially.

May be the President needed not to have announced it publicly. A simple memo from the office of the chief of staff , written clearly as a directive from Mr President would have sufficed.

I have served in the Presidency twice and I hold the above views sacrosanct.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
PRESS RELEASE


*VP receives USAID delegation & US civil rights activist, Andrew Young

The partnership between Nigeria and the United States is one that would continue to produce mutually desirable results for both countries, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Friday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, when he received the Administrator of the US Agency on International Development (USAID), Mr Mark Green who is currently on a visit to Nigeria.

Noting that the US is one of Nigeria’s most dependable development partners, the Vice President said the Nigerian government was grateful for the interventions in the areas of health, humanitarian issues and education.

While stating the commitment of the Buhari administration to improve the country’s education sector, and the President’s resolve to enforce free and compulsory basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary school age; Prof. Osinbajo noted that a lot more can be done with cooperation between both countries.

He said, “This is an area where Mr. President particularly has a personal commitment. On June 20th, in a meeting with State Governors, he made the point that we are going to enforce a nine-year free and compulsory basic education for children. He felt that this was not just a moral obligation, but, of course, to educate and develop future generations, especially female children.

The Vice President said there could be more cooperation in the area of teacher training, skills development, child education, especially girl-child education, among other interventions in the education sector.

Prof. Osinbajo also highlighted the need for more development partnerships in the areas of improving the country’s power sector and security, noting that the Federal Government has been putting a significant amount of work in developing renewable energy and providing solar power in rural areas and other parts of the country.

According to him, “In the power sector, we find that renewable energy is an area we want to do more in. And in many parts of the country, we find that solar power would be advantageous for us, and we’re trying to do a lot in that area. The Power grid itself has had various challenges. We think the fastest growth, especially in rural areas is solar power. In that respect, we’ve done a fair amount of work.”

While acknowledging US military assistance, the VP noted that the Federal Government would also welcome more cooperation in tackling humanitarian challenges in the North East of the country.

In his remarks, Green; who was accompanied by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington, said the US and Nigeria have a deep friendship based on shared values and shared priorities. He described as admirable President Muhammadu Buhari’s personal commitment to ensuring compulsory free education for Nigerian children, stating the US looks forward to working with the Nigerian government on developing its education sector, tackling security challenges and improving economic indices.

He said, “We have particular interest in continuing our very strong partnership in providing humanitarian assistance, particularly in areas in the North; working together on economic opportunities, particularly in rural areas; creating strong sustainable futures for farmers and herders; and looking for ways to tackle some of the challenges that we both see in building lives and communities.”

Earlier in the day, the Vice President also received a delegation from the Andrew J. Young Foundation, led by civil rights activist and former US Ambassador to the United Nations, Andrew J. Young.

The Vice President described Young as one of the major icons in the US civil rights movement.
The VP noted that Young has played “very important roles in the life of our nation and influencing positively many of our leaders.”

In his remarks, Young commended the Buhari administration for “being able to hold this country together in spite of the differences” and ensuring democracy prevailed.

Young, who worked with the late Martin Luther King Jnr., was accompanied by Ambassador Howard Jeter, Sir Emeka Offor and Senator Ken Nnamani.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
23rd August, 2019

A former Jonathan’s media aide who has recently launched an attack on Nigeria’s Vice President has been described as lacking wit and exposing the weakness of his former’s boss’ poorly run government by the Initiative to Save Democracy.

In a statement by its newly appointed publicity secretary, Peter Oladele, the group faulted the call by Reno Omokri that the Vice President should stand up against the President because the President had asked that his Ministers pass correspondences and meeting proposals through the Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari.

The group stated that making such a call did not only show that Mr Omokri lacked an understanding of governance at the Presidential level, but it also reflected the way and manner in which the Jonathan government was run without any institutional practices and order.

“We have read Reno Omokri's constant attempt to politicise governance processes, especially his recent tirade at the Vice President. In our view, Omokri has opened himself, the government of Jonathan where he served and his party up to the perfect counter-uppercut.

“Because by lambasting the President's instruction to streamline administrative processes in adherence to global democratic executive standards, they are once again exposing and celebrating their own wayward governance systems of old in which presidential governance was a jungle-like wilderness in which everyone who could whisper to the President could adjust his actions or inactions which is largely responsible for the massive corruption and underdevelopment known of their administration which we are still dealing with.”

The Initiative to Save Democracy went further to state that the instruction given to Ministers to have all correspondences and schedules for meetings go through the Chief of Staff was to ensure there was order and guided flow of the President’s activities.

“Does one expect the President to receive his Ministers anytime and whenever they wanted to? Would that not be a recipe for chaos and insanity?” The group asked.

“There must follow a pattern in every institution, in which the head of the institution is accessed, correspondences sent and meetings scheduled. This was clearly not the case with the Jonathan administration. If we recall, it was during that administration that rumours flew round about how top government officials were going to the Central Bank with notes from the President to collect hard currencies for campaign activities. Reno Omokri’s recent comment only confirm this.”

ISD also stated that Reno’s attempt to pitch the Vice President against the President was not just foolishness but gave a clue as to one of the reasons why the PDP government had always failed in all its activities, noting that the PDP was renowned for running a disharmonious and uncoordinated government.

“The constant attempt to turn Vice President Yemi Osinbajo against President Buhari is a failed effort to confer on Vice President the same foolishness and rebellious, power hungry spirit with which Reno's boss, Atiku used to impose himself against a sitting President in Obasanjo which stalled government activities and also rendered PDP a political cog in the nation's wheel of progress. Osinbajo will not be goaded into foolish dysfunction as patented and trademarked by Reno's boss.” The statement read.

*Why Jonathan's Social Media aide will never overcome his fraudulent past*

We wake up each day, count it a blessing and go about our daily activities to earn a living.


Unfortunately for Reno Omokiri he's faced with the same dilemma the only difference is that of late he's had no job and has taken to social media as consolation.Well he’s not entirely jobless, if you take into account the fact he sold shirts and books in Leah Sharibu’s name, scamming her parents and unsuspecting people.


But if he is not up to some old tricks, he is usually eking out a living out of his obsession for none other than the Vice President.


Similar to the holy grail or the elixir of life, a day can't go by without the self acclaimed pastor a crony to one of Nigeria's most corrupt governments attempting to take a dig at renowned Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.


Who requires that we shed light on the crooked character that once took on the personage of Wendell Simlin?


Lamido Sanusi - the Emir of Kano who was widely respected in the international community - had been suspended as the Governor of the Central bank a month after accusing the government of corruption.


A few days later, a number of journalists were surprised to receive an email from an unknown man, Wendell Simlin, which linked Sanusi with the militant Islamist group Boko Haram.


It was actually written by one of the president's aides, after his name was found in a Word document attached. Yes, Reno Omokri the one and only. Social media advisor to President Goodluck Jonathan.


Not long afterwards a Califonia-based woman, Deborah Campbell, told Sahara Reporters in a series of emails and telephone conversation that her son, based in Hercules, California, is the real Wendel Simlin.


She explained that she is married to Mr. Omokri’s brother-in-law and that the president’s aide exploited the relationship to perpetrate forgery.


Back in Nigeria, Feyi Fawehinmi, one of the team who investigated the letters said, "We just did a simple right click on the document and looked at the 'properties'," and his name was there as the author.


This simpleton attempts at smearing the names of more accomplished persons obviously hasn't been improved upon in the five years since. For only yesterday Reno took his darts to Instagram and almost verbatim spewed the exact same rhetoric that another established wailer @aishayesufu had a couple of days prior chugged out questioning the roles and functions of Vice President Osinbajo in the present administration.


Dare I say Reno took to Instagram in respect to the bashing he got on Twitter the last time he exfoliated his crass and idiosyncrasies in the community. Anyone remembers #RenoUndarted?


Seems he's also not forgotten the bashing but assumes Nigerians have forgotten that we've realized he's been fraudulently collecting money in the name of Leah Sharibu from donors across the world in the course of his travels. We are still waiting for the audited accounts showing royalties being paid to Leah's parents as he alleged.


Rather than provide proof, Reno went underground and thinking that the clime was clear popped his head out to once again go about earning his Dubai strategy bread.


Nigerians are usually not quick to be ruffled, but the attendant response that greeted him and his post yesterday, I'm sure Reno now knows that his goose is cooked so expect one of Nigeria's most slimy characters to reinvent himself in another shoddy pseudonym in the nearest future because his obsession with Osinbajo is his last claim to relevance.


Nicholas Adesina writes from Ibadan, Oyo State

There is a piece circulating in the media space mocking the vice president Yomi Osinbajo of losing out in the recent ministerial list inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari. Nothing is more mischievous than the antics of meddlesome interlopers creating bad blood even where exist wonderful relationships.
To start with, the author of the above is nameless. The only inference from the silly anonymity is that he or she is unsure of the concoction passed off as an article.

It would have been needless reacting to a bilious article with an anonymous author but for the simple fact that the article which is a figment of the arid imagination of the author is capable of misleading some unsuspecting members of the public who may consider it an article of wholesale truth.

That said, it is a known fact that both Professor Yemi Osinbajo and Muhammadu Buhari ran on a joint ticket in the 2019 presidential election as vice presidential and presidential candidates on the platform of the All Progressives Congress(APC). Therefore, whatever electoral input the Vice President must have made in the course of the tortuous campaign was his own contribution to the election from which he and Buhari emerged as victors. And it was not in vain.

Perhaps if Osinbajo had not campaigned vigorously across the length and breadth of the country, selling the Next Level agenda to Nigerians while also restating the modest successes of the administration between 2015 and 2019 to the electorates, the election outcome might have gone the other way which implies that he won't be the number two man in the country today!

Besides, the near air mishap the VP and his entourage encountered in Kogi State while on a visit to campaign was part of the risks involved in any hustle. It is only those who dare to take risks who win. Osinbajo understands this aspect of life clearly and that was why he still went ahead, unencumbered by the near death experience, to carry out with the activities slated for that day. Thank goodness he did not die. He is living to enjoy the fruits of the risks he took. So let the author bury his unwanted sympathy for Osinbajo does not need the sympathy of cynics.

In case the nameless author does not know, those who are familiar with the political trajectory of the cerebral Professor of Law know that he is not a typical Nigerian politician who sees politics as a means to personal aggrandizement and thus will begin to count imaginary losses when the game is only just unravelling.

Elections are over. It's time for governance. And that exactly is what Osinbajo is doing. He has a lot on his plate already. The management of the economy virtually rests on his shoulders in addition to superintending the all-important Social Investment Policy of the Buhari administration.

If the hooded writer wants to lament because Senator Ibikunle Amosun is believed to be getting political jobs meant for Ogun State where the VP hails from for his cronies, what about the 500,000 otherwise unemployed Nigerian youth who are engaged today across the country via the N-Power Scheme which the office of the VP is driving?

What about the over 2 million petty traders and small scale business owners who are receiving collateral free, interest free loans? Is it not the same Osinbajo who is driving the programs impacting their lives? The public-spirited person that he is, the VP is not motivated to serve because of perks or largesse of office which explains why he has chosen to touch the lives of the mass majority of Nigerians through the instrumentality of the FG-driven social programs that can impact positively on the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

For the education of the masked author, all federal appointments are at the mercy of the President who dispenses to whomever he is pleased with. Osinbajo is not the President and will never do anything to drag leadership and patronage distribution with his principal. A former VP who tried to take the shine off his boss is still struggling today to redeem his once illustrious political career.

By the way, as afar as Ogun State and its people are concerned, the most important political position that has a direct bearing on the lives of the citizenry is that of the Governor. It is on record that VP Osinbajo contributed significantly to the election that brought His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun to power in the state.

Osinbajo has not lost anything and is not losing anything. Just yesterday, the President ratified the appointments of those who worked with the VP between 2015 and 2019. A President who does not like his VP would have imposed unknown persons on him.

Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice

PRESS RELEASE



The attention of the Nigerian Army in the Theatre of Operation Lafiya Dole has been drawn to reports on various media platforms indicating attack on Gubio and Magumeri communities in Borno State at about 1735hrs of Wednesday the 21st of August, 2019.

To avoid further misinformation that could create unnecessary tension, the Theatre Command wishes to state that the attack was targeted at Nigerian Army troops deployed in the areas to enable the terrorists gain access shops in the market in the towns to loot food items and other logistics. The attack was however repelled by the troops.

Consequently, due to fierce exchange of fire, the terrorists were forced to withdraw in disarray from the town resulting to damages on buildings and property along their route of withdrawal.

There were no casualty on the security force (troops) and no lost or damage to own equipment as wrongly insinuated on social media. However, a vigilante sadly lost his life in a cross fire. Also some civilians in the area reportedly sustained various degrees of injuries.

Peace has so far been restored in the communities with residents going about their lawful businesses.

The Nigerian Army once again call on all well meaning members of the public to collaborate with the military and other security agencies in the area of sharing of information and suspicious movement of criminals in their communities to proactively deal with criminal activities .

Ado ISA
Colonel
Deputy Director Army Public Relations, 7 Division
22 Aug 2019

I wonder why you venting your frustration on someone who is not responsible for your misfortune.
Like it or not, Adeboye and Prof. Osinbajo are leaders of great magnitude.
So go and reconcile with those who in charge of your misfortune.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE



President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the re-appointment of Mr. Ade Ipaye as Deputy Chief of Staff to the President. Mr Ipaye who was former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State works from the Office of the Vice President.

The President has also approved the re-appointment of Dr Adeyemi Dipeolu, Special Adviser to President on Economic Matters; Mrs Maryam Uwais who retains her position as Special Adviser to the President on Social Investment Programme as well as Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters.

Also, re-appointed is Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, who will now serve as the Special Adviser to the President on Ease Of Doing Business.

Equally, President Buhari has also appointed Mr. Ahmad Rufai Zakari as Special Adviser on Infrastructure, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh, as Senior Special Assistant on Education Interventions, Mr. Louis Odion as Senior Technical Assistant on Print Media, and Mr. Ajuri Ngelale as Senior Special Assistant for Public Affairs in the Presidency.

All appointees are to serve in the Office of the Vice President.

Except for Zakari, Bank-Olemoh, Odion and Ngelale, all the other appointments take retrospective effect from May 29, 2019.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President of August, 2019

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the re-appointment of Mr Femi Adesina as Special Adviser, Media and Publicity and Malam Garba Shehu as Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity.

The President also re-appointed Mr Laolu Akande as Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President.

President Buhari equally retained Tolu Ogunlesi, Bashir Ahmad, Lauretta Onochie and Nazir Bashiru as Special Assistant, Digital/New Media, Personal Assistant, New Media, Personal Assistant, Social Media and Personal Assistant, Visual Documentation, respectively.

Following the election of Hon. Shaaban Ibrahim Sharada, the former Personal Assistant, Broadcast Media, as the lawmaker representing Kano Municipal Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, the President has appointed Buhari Sallau as his replacement.

All appointments take effect from May 29, 2019, except that of the new entrant into the team, Buhari Sallau.

Abiodun Oladunjoye
Deputy Director (Information)
August 21, 2019

A poor reading of the verdict by the London court slapping a historic penalty of $9b on Nigeria last Friday is viewing it as an affirmation of the law of contract. No, it is not. Rather, it is the orchestration of international politics and neo-colonial power-play at their vilest.
Indeed, let no one be deceived that objectivity is assured in the interpretation of international law by even angels, especially when the interests of multinationals are in dispute concurrently across jurisdictions. In such circumstance, pure nationalistic instinct is likely to trump fidelity to reason or the universal principle of fairplay.
For ages, the doctrine of sovereign immunity was, for instance, often invoked by powerful nations of the West to commit blue murder anywhere across the universe. But good students of history will recall that attempt later in the 70s by newly independent African nations to draw on the same principle ended ghastly. In the international court, it now became fairly convenient to invert Lord Denning’s new theory of “market place” to hand Nigeria the short end of the stick in the landmark case of Swiss-owned Trendtex versus Central Bank of Nigeria.
A similar - if not identical - conflict is what is being stoked invariably by P&ID vs Nigeria. In choosing not to view things from the prism of the U.S. court (which can justifiably be seen as unencumbered by any possible nationalist bias), there is, therefore, a compelling reason to see the London court’s Justice Christopher Butcher as bending the arch of justice to favour a home company, with a covetous eye on Nigeria’s substantial assets domiciled within the U.K.
Given the severity of the penalty awarded, it was as if Justice Butcher opted to literally act out his fearsome name by dealing savage knife blows on Nigeria’s jugular.
What then appears ludicrous back at home has been the attempt by some cynical elements to scrounge some mileage from this sad development for their petty partisan politics. Only genuine patriots would have seen the development first as more of a huge slap on the nation by foreign interests, even if our leadership failing to an extent would still be admitted.
Note, the local airwaves had barely crackled by midday with the highlight of the London judgement when the social media was drowned with the hysteria of PDP agents against President Muhammadu Buhari as the sole culprit. They claimed the fine resulted essentially from his malicious discontinuation of another of Jonathan’s visionary projects.
But when more media insights began to pour in, that spin had to be modified ingeniously. The following day, Jonathan’s salespeople decided to sweep the entire blame to the gravesides of both ex-President Umar Yar’Adua and Rilwan Lukman now incapable of defending themselves.
Now, let us concede that Jonathan was completely locked out of Aso Rock while the sneaky contract was being facilitated by “the cabal” as the then ailing president was gasping for oxygen and Lukman (the oil minister) seemed too self-absolved in hauteur to submit the details of the contract agreement to the scrutiny of Michael Aondoakaa commonly regarded then as essentially a comical Attorney General.
But nothing can absolve Jonathan of liability for the non-consummation of the contract beginning from February 2010 as acting President and three months later as the substantive following Yar’Adua’s demise. P&ID began to complain more than a year later. By the time the company eventually resorted to arbitration in 2012, Jonathan’s much beloved Diezani Allison-Madukwe had of course become entrenched as almighty oil empress.
From what we now know, she obviously was too preoccupied with either signing Nigeria’s patrimony away to her younger “admirers” like now fugitive Kola Aluko in sweetheart oil-swap deals or immersing herself in the sheer effulgence of her mammoth jewelry collection to have mustered the presence of mind to grasp the contract idea, much less contemplate what benefits might accrue therefrom to the nation.
So, it bears restating that national interest was least served by those who committed Nigeria into such contract with improbable terms to begin with. That rape of Nigeria was not helped by Jonathan’s subsequent sloppiness. Today’s sorry outcome is traceable to yesterday’s tardiness.
But by far more atrocious is the taste of British jurisprudence the nation was offered brusquely by the London court last Friday. While the dereliction of Nigerian officials is regrettable, nothing can however explain the juridical logic summoned by Justice Butcher to enter a judgment that negates morality and mocks all the principles of natural justice.
Note, to corner this windfall, nothing in the convoluted narration made in British and American courts in the last seven years suggested that P&ID engaged in much toil between 2010 and 2012 other than its officials carrying briefcases around Abuja and meeting with Nigerian officials. It never as much as cracked any soil in Calabar to erect the envisaged gas processing plant (as expressly stated in the contract pact), to which Nigeria was expected to lay hundreds of kilometre of pipes.
To generations of blacks still stuck today with the trauma inflicted by the colonial disruption of African civilizations, Justice Butcher’s latest travesty must be a sad reminder of the culture of plunder and predation for which imperial Britain was quite exceptional even among fellow European exploiters in history.
Were the verdict to be enforced to the letter, it should qualify as the single most punitively prohibitive fine ever imposed in history on a sovereign nation relative to her fiscal strength. The $9b sanction represents a whopping twenty percent the nation’s present foreign reserve and a third of the current national budget.
At the arbitration court in London in 2012, P&ID began by filing claims of $40m expenses and proceeded to add “lost earnings” in the twenty-year tenure of the agreement based on impossible operation benchmarks of more than ninety percent capacity utilization and a patently unrealistic expectation that oil never fell below $100 per barrel.
As if that was not already shylock enough, the judge opted to play Father Xmas by granting the petitioner’s additional prayer that compound interest be paid on the fine imposed on Nigeria. That explains how P&ID’s preliminary claim of $40m in 2012 mushroomed exponentially to the $9b awarded last week.
No sane person will accept such sham without a fight in the first place. Buhari could, therefore, be said to have acted most patriotically by refusing the initial hefty $800m payout proposed by a departing Jonathan in May 2015. In any case, with Nigeria technically insolvent by the time PMB was taking over having lapsed into a recession described as the worst in a generation, there practically was no way Nigeria could have paid, assuming the new administration was even willing.
Expectedly, the government soon mounted a vigorous counter-attack by filing appeal in the U.K and the U.S. against the claimant. Whereas the U.S. upheld Nigeria’s objection to the enforcement of the claim by pleading sovereignty, the British court chose to dismiss the plea as “frivolous”.
What makes the Butcher’s verdict all the more curious is a subsequent media expose suggesting a determined conspiracy to raid Nigeria’s exchequer. Ahead of the judgment, a whopping twenty-five percent stake of P&ID was snapped up in a strange deal by a hedge fund manager known as VR Capital Group in March. Since the Friday judgment, the sidetalk in global financial circles is that the hedge fund manager had all along been pulling levers of influence in the U.K. and the U.S. to make Nigeria either settle or be willing to forfeit her assets. So, it would then seem the vultures had long been hovering overhead as the nation began to wallow in the British dock.
Now the big question: did VR Capital Group read Justice Butcher’s mind ahead? Or, could his judgment be mere coincidence?
Developments like this will only reinforce long-held suspicion that the British jurisprudence is half of the times tainted and can, therefore, not be trusted to avail us justice on own accord without us standing up to the system, nor can its integrity be vouched for to protect our interest behind our back.
For instance, a survey conducted sometime ago by an anti-corruption group, Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer, came with the damning report that one in five people using the courts in the U.K. said they or a household member paid a bribe for favourable outcome, even as one quarter of people in the country believe the courts and judiciary are corrupt. But the supreme irony is that British leaders or officials are often the first to label us as the most dubious or “fantastically corrupt”. The enduring hypocrisy in such condescension is that their London is renowned worldwide as one of the most receptive of money stolen from relatively much poorer Third World countries and the ultimate haven of shell companies used to launder dirty cash from dingy provenance across the universe. According to Britain’s own National Crime Agency, over £100b is laundered through U.K’s financial system annually.
So, who does not know that the one who receives the stolen ware on the ground is as culpable as the one who initiated the pilfering from the rafter?
A decade ago, I had a rather funny encounter with a British “expert”. I had been invited by a Nigerian-born promoter of a start-up to sit in during a presentation by the visiting consultant. Because the service concern would be prospecting in the international market beginning with Europe, it was necessary that an high-profile office be opened in London. So, the guy’s brief was to design an international marketing roadmap.
To me, the visiting specialist had sounded authoritatively smooth with his power-point presentation with a laptop inside the dimly-lit penthouse office until he veered into the media aspect. Not knowing my media background, his proposal here was nothing short of a crafty splitting of what ordinarily should be a single activity into assorted briefs for the sole purpose of escalating the costs to justify about a million British Pounds he was demanding as fee for the London outing.
Once the presentation was over and I was invited to comment, I took out a hammer, went straight to the media section and mercilessly knocked down the castle of fraud our friend had meticulously erected. Perhaps out of over-excitement over the dramatic turn of event, our host abruptly got up and asked to be excused to use the bathroom.
In-between the moments he was away, our British friend moved over and, without shame, attempted to literally smolder me with all the charms he could conjure, while his two other white “accomplices” pretended to be conversing on the couch nearby. From complimenting me with “Oh, your baritone voice is so commanding” to praising the “fantastic embroidery” of the kaftan I wore, he let be known to me that he was open to a “one-on-one” with me thereafter if I “cooperated” when the host returned.
I disappointed him during the remainder of the sesssion. Against his high expectation, our host, obviously now seeing things differently, did the smartest thing by aborting the signing off on the deal.
Needless to say that the trio didn’t as much as utter a word to me while we flew back in a private jet to Lagos that day, nor offered me a handshake while departing at the local airport.
Till date, what I still cannot understand is how they expected me to betray a man, my own countryman, so trusting to have invited me to join the session in the first place. And the lesson I learnt is never to assume a white guy will not try to fleece me given the opportunity even while customarily affecting superior airs.
Reacting to the London judgement, the Nigerian government has pledged to not only appeal but also vigorously defend national interest to any length possible. It is the most sensible thing to do.

Ever since 1992 gave us a good idea of what true leadership and politicking was, I have never met a leader more committed to the entity Nigeria than Professor Yemi Osinbajo (PYO), a man with so much commitment, dedication, Confidence, Passion and such a good Communicator he almost rivals Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (MKO) and Lt. Col. Odumegwu-Ojukwu.


Professor Yemi Osinabjo is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a Professor of Law and the current Vice President of Nigeria since 29 May 2015.


As vice president, his roles and constitutional powers include; participation in all cabinet meetings and, by statute, vice chairmanship of the National Security Council, the National Defence Council, Federal Executive Council, and the Chairman of National Economic Council.


Although the vice president may take an active role in establishing policies in the Executive Branch by serving on such committees and councils, the relative power of the Nigerian vice president's office depends much upon the duties delegated by the president.


With the above limited executive functions accorded a vice president of Nigeria, Osinbajo has established policies that are more masses oriented and beneficial to the general public.


Unlike past vice presidents, Prof. Osinbajo has won the trust of the President and the masses alike with his integrity and passion for a better nation.


Osinbajo's poverty and hunger fighting policy (NSIPs) have earned him accolades from far and near including President Muhammadu Buhari, who on the 8th march, 2019, described Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as a “very dependable deputy” with whom he had established a special bond.
The president further said that professor Osinbajo has in the past four years diligently championed the values of setting the foundation for peace, progress, and stability of Nigeria, by working very hard to build a resilient economy while promoting transparency and accountability.


Prof. Osinbajo has shown he is not only a VP for Christians, APC or Yoruba's alone but also, a VP for all religions, political parties, tribes and all geo-political zones in Nigeria.

When you think he is most popular in the south south, a video of him visiting States in the south east will appear, then the argument immediately becomes that he is more popular in that region. In the north and south west, it's the same level of euphoria.

This earned the VP respect of all past governors of the last administration, given that, he is the chairman of the National Economic Council, NEC.


The Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed (a PDP governor), noted that, Chairman (VP Osinbajo) led a strong team through various areas requiring attention in the economy. He made robust efforts in security giving direction, confidence and comfort.


In the same vein, the Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, said "Osinbajo provided leadership and in the past 4 years, exhibited humility, giving everyone a sense of belonging."


The 36 governors said the vice president treated everybody equally regardless of their political parties.


Professor Osinbajo has been nicknamed the *Star Boy* by the public especially by those on social media yet his popularity has not come without its negative sides.


Some people have sponsored lots of hate and false news campaigns against a man committed to fighting poverty and hunger in Nigeria with his National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs).


Ask me or any other non-partisan Nigerian of a hardworking and committed political leader and we would all point to Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

It gives me great joy that he is a Nigerian and one that has stood out in all his ways.

*Oladele Peter, a psychologist and social commentator*

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE



Following reports making the rounds in some media outlets, it is necessary to state categorically that the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler, is not under any investigation.

The letter from the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, on which the purported rumour of an investigation is based, merely raises concerns over the negative run of the tax revenue collection in recent times.

Taking a cue from today’s (Monday) presentation of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Retreat for Ministers-Designate, Federal Permanent Secretaries and Top Government Functionaries , which dwelt on an ‘Overview of the Policies , Programmes and Project Audit Committee,’ a body he chaired, projected revenue of government falls behind recurrent expenditure even without having factored in capital expenditure.

Consequently, it would appear that the country might be heading for a fiscal crisis if urgent steps are not taken to halt the negative trends in target setting and target realisation in tax revenue.

Anyone conversant with Federal Executive Council deliberations would have observed that issues bordering on revenue form the number one concern of what Nigeria faces today, and therefore, often take a prime place in discussions of the body.

It is noteworthy and highly commendable that under this administration, the number of taxable adults has increased from 10 million to 20 million with concerted efforts still on-going to bring a lot more into the tax net.



Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media and Publicity)

August 19, 2019

The attack on Babatunde Fowler of the FIRS appears to be deliberate, carefully manicured and clearly carries a political undertone. If this isn’t the case, what should anyone have against a man under whose leadership the agency has been able to achieve?

1. The growth of FIRS collections rose by 53.81% from ₦3.30 trillion in 2016 to ₦5.32 trillion in 2018, the highest collection ever in the history of the agency;

2. There was also a remarkable boost in the tax base from 10million to 20million tax payers with the potential for an increase of up to 45 million in 2019;

3. Growth in the IGR of States rose by over 46.11% from ₦800.02 billion in 2016 to ₦1.16 trillion in 2018;

4. Automated tax processes such as the e-Stamping, e-Registration, e-Filing, e-Payment and a host of others were introduced to make the entire process more efficient and user-friendly.

Sincerely speaking, by the time Buhari finishes his tour of duty as President, he will be the greatest president Nigeria will ever have. I said this for the following reasons.

1. Just look at the strategic manner, he has handled the Sheikh ZakZaky's. With the court bail, the Sheikh left Nigeria in a wheel chair and returned in just 4 days walking with his two legs. Femi Falana lied himself into oblivion and worthlessness, by the strategic action of this government. Kudos Mr President.

2. The manner he quelled the ipob uprising in the east. One strategic strike, codenamed EgwuEke, order was restored in the Eastern heart land. Without that, Onitsha and Aba and other cities of the East would have been marooned in desolation. These cities would have been more isolated that the cities of port Harcourt and Warri after the Militancy. Instead of our guys from the East praising him for this escape from brigandage, they are vilifying him. It was a great move.

3. The insistence on local Government Autonomy. With up to three constitutional amendments, governors, refused this to see the light of the day, But @mbuhari tactically manoeuvre through the NFIU and outflanked and out fixed out governor, who since the introduction of democracy has enslaved and kept the local government under their permanent suzerainty. Now we are seeing local government autonomy gradually taking root.

5. Judiciary and legislative autonomy, this too is gradually taking shape. See how necessary this is, the president used his executive order line of power to initiate this action, and with time, these two great aspects of governance will be rescued from d choke hold of governors.

6. His efforts at encouraging Nigerians feeding Nigeria, this is again taking root. We are growing rice to a sizeable proportion, before 2023 God willing we will turn into a net exporter of rice, sesame seed and other agricultural products, even palm oil, with which the Eastern Region sustained itself and built great cities like Port Harcourt, Enugu, Onitsha and Aba is being encouraged through our Central bank. No he has asked that we face our dairy production, so that we can produce enough milk for our children & 4 our food and confectionery industry. By the time u know it we will be producing enough milk for export too.

The greatest part of this Nigerianization initiative of Buhari, is that individuals will start to establish cottage industries in their rooms, and parlours and garages, producing quality items needed by Our citizens. India did it in the 70ties and 80 ties. You cannot carry more than two wristwatches into India, you cannot take more than two cameras into India. India locked herself away from the rest of the world, never drinking coca cola, until they were able to manufacture and Things for themselves.

This President is gradually but surely steering us out of our profligate lifestyle of yesterday, driving us into relying on ourselves to a great extent for our needs and engaging ourselves in jobs, artisanship and other means of survival. We must work to To support his effort. I know that it is only a dirt hand that brings about an oily mouth, that is what the president is saying by his Nigerianization effort.

Let these voodoo economists that are prowling our land scape leave us alone @mbuhari is applying his wazobia economics to Pull us out of our current hardship,it is home grown and must be supported by all Nigerians. We have tried the best economic theories of the world since 1983, and we are still at the same point. Let's join hands with president Buhari & build a better Nigeria. We will enjoy it.
Anthony Eberonwu.

PRESS STATEMENT



The Federal Government wishes to inform the public about the latest development in the Ibraheem El-zakzaky medical trip controversies to India. The Government notes with dismay the acts of misconduct exhibited by El-zakzaky that necessitated his repatriation. .

The earlier statement of 14th August 2019 by the Government addressed the issues that would have raised some questions with the latest occurrences and particularly the uncelebrated return of El-zakzaky from India. The public may note that El-Zakzaky’s actions in India demonstrated malicious intents that were capable of embarrassing the Governments of Nigeria and India.

With total disrespect and complete loss of decorum for international procedures while in India, he initiated contacts with a team of lawyers led by Ali Zia Kabir Chaudary and Gunjan Singh in that country. He also contacted some Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), such as the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) and other Shiite groups. His aim was to seek asylum and eventually relocate to another country.

It is important to note that if an Indian court had granted El-zakzaky asylum or leave to travel to another country, it would have violated the Nigerian court order that granted him permission to travel for medical treatment. However, he used the opportunity of being in India to attempt to internationalise his cause by mobilising the Rights groups. Even most unfortunate and rather embarrassing as earlier stated, was his quest to be relocated to a 5-Star hotel to receive visitors instead of being admitted in the hospital as a sick person he claimed to be.

In spite of his misconduct, El-zakzaky’s spouse went further to antagonize the Indian and Nigerian security agents and accused the latter of killing her children. These acts were aimed at winning international sympathy as well as disparaging the Nigerian Government. Having subordinated the quest for medical treatment to other ulterior motives, it became obvious that El-zakzaky was focused on realising some sinister motives thus the decision to return him to Nigeria.


Grace Isu Gekpe
Permanent Secretary
Federal Ministry of Information and Culture
Abuja

16th August 2019

It’s never too late to do the right thing; I think finally, former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo appears to understanding this as well as his role as an elder statesman.

On Saturday, he met with Fulani cattle breeders in the Southwest as well as Kogi and Kwara States in order to address the scuffle between the nomadic herders and the resident farmers.

Obasanjo told Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (GAFDAN) that Yorubas wanted unity, peace, harmony, wholesomeness and progress in the region, stressing that the time had come for everybody to acknowledge that “bad things are happening” in the Southwest and which have been attracting bad names to the Fulani in their midst.

This is a clear departure from Obasanjo’s reliance on writing only letters in the past. The former president appears to be putting his money where his mouth is, he finally seems to understand that actions speak louder than words. Meeting face to face with Fulani cattle breeders is completely different from writing an open letter.

If one reads the communiqué from the meeting, Baba seems to have gotten some firsthand information on the most recent shape of the farmer/herder clashes across the country and the reasons for such happening in the Southwest.

Like President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo have done in the last few weeks, Chief Obasanjo has embraced dialogue over explosive statements that could cause the country more harm. We all know that Baba loves Nigeria and that he wants peace but this can best be achieved through diplomatic channels.

A proof of this was the swift rescue of five persons abducted in Ogun state. The police force deployed geo-tagging technology and other technological know-how to track the kidnappers and arrest five culprits.

These are the kind of engagements that is required and expected of our leaders and I am happy Baba is adding his voice to this newly adopted strategy.

Copied.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
PRESS RELEASE





*VP meets Chinese investors interested in agro-allied sector

*About $16B to $25B investment envisaged says AfDB

In line with its commitment to develop a thriving agro-industrial sector, the Federal Government will welcome partnerships and initiatives that would make Nigeria actualize its potential of being the food basket of the world, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

The Vice President stated this on Tuesday when he received a delegation of Chinese investors and officials from the African Development Bank (AfDB), at the Presidential Villa.

According to Prof. Osinbajo, “I think that Nigeria is a place where there is tremendous opportunity. We have the 9th largest arable land in the world and most of that is still largely untouched.

“We have a tremendous potential of being the food basket of the world but a lot of that will depend on how we are able to get high quality inputs, seedling and others, and how we are able to use technology especially the benefits of industrial agriculture to our advantage.

Referring to the interest of the Chinese investors in the agro-allied sector, the VP noted that “we believe very strongly that this partnership is the one that will deliver the kind of growth, the kind of quantum leap we are looking forward to. We think that with your partnership with us, especially the agro-allied aspect of it, if it works very well, we can achieve a lot.”

Continuing, Prof. Osinbajo said “this is the reason why we are engaging at this (presidential) level of government alongside the AfDB, to ensure that our investors have no trouble at all in being able to operate their businesses and do their businesses efficiently.”

The Chinese investors are in the country at the instance of the African Development Bank to commence the processes of investing in Nigeria’s agricultural sector under an initiative known as the Agro-Industrial initiative with focus on crop production, forestry, fishery, and livestock production.

Speaking earlier, Prof. Zhao Zhihai, the leader of the Chinese delegation, said a consortium of Chinese investors were committed to the development of Nigeria’s agro-processing zones and especially the agro-allied sector.

In his own remarks, Prof. Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, the head of the AfDB team at the meeting, said the framework of the initiative is to develop a programme that leverages Nigeria’s comparative advantage in key areas of agricultural production.

According to him, “the overall investment, under the initiative, amounts to between $16 billion to $25 billion over a period of four years with a strong government support and private sector leadership.”



Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
6th August, 2019

PRESS RELEASE



This is to inform the public that the Department of State Services (DSS) has received the order granting Ibrahim EL-ZAKZAKY leave to travel to India for medical treatment. Consequently, the Service is liaising with relevant stakeholders to ensure compliance. Conformity with the order is in line with the Service's avowed commitment to the Rule of Law inherent in a democracy.

Dr. Peter Afunanya

Public Relations Officer,

Department of State Services,

National Headquarters,

Abuja

5th August, 2019

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE



Following calls circulating on social and digital media, an organisation that calls itself the “Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria” plans a “revolution” march tomorrow, Monday 5th August, with the aim of bringing “regime change” in Nigeria without recourse to a nationwide vote.
The President of Nigeria and his administration respect and uphold the right of every Nigerian to peaceful protest and civil campaign– whether to raise awareness on issues, and even oppose the government. It is the inalienable right of all citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to do so.

There is, however, a difference between peaceful call to protest and incitement for a revolution.

The organisation championing this planned action is not fronted by any serious public faces. We call on the sponsors and organisers to have the decency to come forward and make their identity known – out of respect to all Nigerians - so that Nigerians can be fully aware in whose name this “revolution” is being proposed and who the beneficiaries may be.

Less than six months ago, Nigeria held simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections. Both contests were won resoundingly by President Muhammadu Buhari and his All-Progressives Congress party. The campaign was observed, and results were confirmed by international election monitoring groups and observers. The result was even contested by the losing presidential candidate and his party in Court.

The ballot box is the only constitutional means of changing government and a president in Nigeria. The days of coups and revolutions are over.

Those making the “revolution’’ call hide behind the veil of social media modernity. But without revealing the identity of their sponsors this shadowy campaign is no better, and no more democratic, than the days of old.

The President calls on all those who seek to use and hide behind everyday citizens to attain power through undemocratic and violent means, which has been alluded, to come out clearly and be identified. They should lead their march in person. Only then will they begin to have the right to call themselves leaders before the people of Nigeria.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
August 4, 2019

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
PRESS RELEASE



*VP commissions 2.8 MW solar hybrid power plant, other projects in Ebonyi

*Programme will equip 37 Federal Universities, 7 Teaching Hospitals with solar plants in 4 years

The Federal Government’s Energizing Education Programme is geared towards delivering on several critical policies and objectives of this administration in the Next Level, including improving power supply around the country by providing solar hybrid plants in 37 Federal Universities and 7 teaching hospitals in the next four years, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Friday in Ebonyi State, where he commissioned some projects including the 2.8 MW decentralized solar hybrid power plant that will supply 7,700 students and over 1,800 staff of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo (FUNAI) with clean, reliable and efficient power.

Before the end of the year, similar projects would also be commissioned in Bayero University Kano (BUK), Kano State and Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun (FUPRE), Delta State; as well as the University of Lagos, he added.

By providing decentralized/off-grid solutions, the Vice President noted that the programme is also expected to reduce the dependence on the national grid and increase universal access to electrification in the country.

He said, “We are decentralizing so that we have upgrade capacity in several different States of the Federation and several communities so that we can provide private power in universities and economic clusters. For example, we have private power in Sabon-Geri market, Kano. We are commissioning another 7,000 shops there, we have private power also in the Ariaria market in Abia State, both solar power and we have a fuel-based and gas-based power plant there as well.”

According to the Vice President, this will further increase access to modern quality education by providing adequate power supply to critical learning resources such as science laboratories, design and technology workshops and Information Technology resources.

He added that the project is also aimed at “providing conducive, safe and secure learning environments, with the aim of eradicating cultism, rape, kidnapping and other criminal activities that may occur.”

The Vice President added that the objectives of the Energizing Education Programme includes “empowering Nigerian women through the provision of education and training programmes for STEM and dedicated training on renewable energy in world class energy training centres, improved quality of healthcare services which will ultimately reduce mortality rates in our healthcare institutions; and the development and implementation of environmentally friendly projects for cleaner, healthier environments.”

Prof Osinbajo also commissioned the renewables workshop and training centre to promote renewable energy and over 7.5KM of street lighting to enhance security and safety on the campus.

Noting that students of the institution would not only reap the benefits of clean, reliable and affordable electricity, the Vice President added that they would also receive hands-on training on renewable energy which can be applied beyond the walls of the university.

He said, “This solar hybrid power plant being commissioned today (in FUNAI) is the first to be heard of the 37 Federal Universities and 7 teaching hospitals, that will be provided with a plant that is similar with what we have here under the Federal Government’s Energizing Education Programme and we hope that this will be completed in the next four years.

“The phase 1 of the project consists of nine Federal Universities and one teaching hospital which cuts across 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria and it is currently being implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

“The phase 1 project will benefit a total of about 127,000 students and 28,000 staff of the Universities, 4,700 staff in teaching hospitals (including 819 doctors), powers 2,850 street lights and result in the decommissioning of hundreds of generators.”

This phase, the Vice President said, is fully funded by the Federal Government and will train 180 female STEM students.

The Vice President said the project will further create more jobs in the power sector chain.

“This project itself created 108 energy related jobs from power system engineers to electricians and as stated earlier, trained 20 young women with the skills to work in the energy sector anywhere in the world,” he said.

Prof. Osinbajo urged more effective collaboration and synergy amongst government bodies at all levels, in order to achieve significant growth for the country.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
3rd August, 2019

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

*British MP praises Nigeria’s Ease of Doing Business Reforms


Nigeria can benefit from the United Kingdom in its ongoing reform of the business environment by learning from how the British resolved similar challenges, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

The Vice President spoke today, during a meeting with the newly appointed United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for International Development, Mr Alok Sharma, at the Presidential Villa.

According to Prof Osinbajo, “one of the critical issues with the ease of doing business is with respect to the registration of property and how the process is long drawn.”

The Vice President noted that while States like Lagos and Kano have done well with issues around land registration, there are still some outstanding issues. He said this is an area where the UK and Nigeria can collaborate.

“I think one of the ways by which we could get some help is in the whole land registry concept”, the Vice President noted. He recalled that Lagos State actually had such collaboration when he was serving there. According to him, the UK “gave us quite a bit of help in establishing what was used in Lagos State land registry years ago.”

“Every state has its own peculiar issues and challenges. How to document across the various states is what poses the challenge,” Osinbajo observed.

Prof Osinbajo also explained the National Livestock Transformation Plan, NLTP, stating that the Federal Government and States decided on ranching as an option for livestock breeding.

States determine the implementation methods in their respective States, while both the Federal Government and the States will share the costs.

Earlier in his remarks, Mr. Sharma commended the Vice President for his role in driving the Ease of Doing Business reforms and commended the country for moving up 24 places in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Ranking. On the specific issue of land registry, he noted how the process was simplified in the UK using technology.

Both the Vice President and the UK Secretary, among other issues, also discussed the rehabilitation of the Northeast region and how the British could support the process going forward.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President August, 2019